Air ventilating panel structure and an air control valve therefor



Nov. 19, 1968 H. w. CARLSON 3,411,426

AIR VENTILATING PANEL STRUCTURE AND AN AIR CONTROL VALVE THEREFOR Filed May 29, 1967 FIG I HARRY W. CARLSON INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent "ice 3,411,426 AIR VENTILATING PANEL STRUCTURE AND AN AIR CONTROL VALVE THEREFOR Harry W. Carlson, Palatine, IlL, assignor to Simpson Timber Company, a corporation of Washington Filed May 29, 1967, Ser. No. 642,019 4 Claims. (CI. 98-41) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An air ventilating ceiling can be assembled from panels containing dis-continuous air control valves ported air passages therethroug-h. The control valves fit into their respective air passages, occupy little space on the plenum chamber side of the panel, and are individually adjustable from below so as to provide precise air circulation through the room.

In brief, this invention comprises a plenum chamber ventilating panel, for example an acoustical tile employed in a false ceiling where a ventilating air plenum chamber is contained between the false ceiling and the actual ceiling, and further comprises a valve mechanism for use with the ventilating panel. This invention will find its greatest application in ventilating-type ceiling and therefor an acoustical-type ventilating panel would usually be employed.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of the room side of an acoustical tiled ceiling depicting an acoustical tile with a pair of valved air passages therethrough;

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 depicting an exemplary valved air passage through the acoustical tile;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the air plenum chamber side of the valve depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the FIG. 3 valve.

Referring to the Figs, acoustical ceiling tile panels are provided with a plurality of air passages extending transversely therethrough, preferably at least two as shown in FIG. 10, with an air control valve 12 mounted in each air passage to control air flow therethrou-gh. The air passages may be of any desired configuration such as the elongated configuration with semi-circular ends shown in the Pigs. :It is preferred that the air passages be standardized to permit standardization of control valve structure.

Each control valve comprises a sleeve member insert 14 and a valve element comprising an actuating member or shaft 16 and a slotted cover plate 18. The sleeve member is [fitted into the air passage from the plenum chamber side of the tile 10. The sleeve member has the same general outer wall configuration as the inner wall defining the air passage 15 and is only slightly smaller such that the sleeve member is frictionally bound in the air passage when. fitted therein. The depth of the sleeve member is preferably less than the depth of the air passage so as to be relatively unnoticeable when viewed from below. The sleeve member has a centrally-positioned web 14a that divides the interior of the sleeve member into two parallel air channels which permit air flow through the passage 15 when the sleeve member is inserted therein.

.The web 14a is provided with a longitudinal bore that loosely receives the shank of actuating shaft 16.

The shaft 16 is provided with a slotted head and is attached at its opposite end to the thin-walled circular cover plate 18. The slotted head bears against the lower 3,41 1,426 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 20 and 22, so positioned that they can be rotated into or out of registry with air channels through the sleeve member by inserting a screw driver or the like into the slotted head of the shaft 16 and turning the shaft. These slots are preferably slightly larger than the air channels through the sleeve member.

The air passages 15 are preferably provided in sufficient number to constitute about 2 percent of the paneled surface so as to permit a suitable degree of air circulation. The sleeve member 1 4 is thin-walled so as to provide maximum-sized air channels communicating with the respective air passage 15.

If desired the components of the valve mechanism could be fabricated of plastic materials and adapted to be snapped together when assembled.

It is believed that the invention will have been clearly understood from the foregoing detailed description of my now-preferred illustrated embodiment. Changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is accordingly my intention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexed claims be given the broadest interpretation to which the employed language fairly admits.

'Ilhe embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A ceiling ventilating panel which comprises a panel having upper and lower surfaces and an elongated air passage extending therethrough; and an air control valve comprising an elongated sleeve member inserted into said air passage and a thin flat slotted cover plate overlaying the panels upper surface with a transverse width greater than the elongated length of said air passage and an actuating shaft journal mounting said cover plate to said sleeve member and extending through said sleeve member such that said cover plate can be rotated from below to bring the slots therein into and out of overlaying registry with said air channel, said sleeve member having an outer surface configuration substantially conforming to the inner wall surface defining said air passage such that the sleeve member is frictionally bound in said air passage when inserted therein, and said sleeve member having an air channel extending therethrough to permit air flow through said air passage.

2. A ceiling ventilating panel according to claim 9 wherein said sleeve member has a depth less than the width of said panel such that when inserted into said air passage with the sleeve upper end flush with the panel upper surface the panel member lower end will be confined within said air passage above the panel lower surface.

3. A ceiling ventilating panel according to claim 9 wherein said sleeve member has two parallel and discreet air channels therethrouglidivided by a web; and wherein said actuating shaft extends through the sleeve member web.

4. A ceiling ventilating panel which comprises a panel having upper and lower surfaces and an elongated air passage extending therethrough; and an air control valve comprising an elongated sleeve member inserted into said air passage and a thin flat slotted cover plate overlaying the panel upper surface with a transverse width greater than the elongated length of said air passage and an actuating shaft journal mounting said cover plate to said sleeve member and extending through said sleeve member, said sleeve member having an outer wall surface configuration substantially confonming to the inner Wall surface defining said air passage such that said sleeve member is frictionally bound in said air passage when inserted therein, said sleeve member having a depth less than the width of said panel such that when inserted into said air passage with the sleeve upper end flush with the panel upper surface the sleeve member lower end will be confined within said air passage above the panel lower surface, and said sleeve member having two parallel and discreet air channels therethrough divided by a web to permit air flolw through said air passage, and said actuating shaft extending through the sleeve member web with the actuating shaft lower end terminating within said air passage such that said cover plate can be rotated to bring the slots therein into and out of overla-yin-g registry with said air channels upon insertion of an actuating tube into said air passage from below.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Giesler 137625.31 X Lutsky 137625.31 X Darbo 98-13 Schwartz, et al 9840 Ericson 9840 Reffell 9841 10 ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner. 

